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165

140. Then, you think that a pension system where the men had to contribute would not meet with the approval of the Force generally ? —Not as well as a retiring-allowance of one month's pay for each year of service. 141. You think a retiring-allowance as you suggest would be preferable to the men in the Force ?—Yes ; that is my opinion. 142. You have come here to voice the opinion of many others? —Yes; the feeling of the men. 143. And you think that is the feeling of the men generally ?—Yes. 144. That would place you on a similar footing to the Prison Department ?—Yes. 145. What do you consider would be a fair remuneration for the Force ?—ls. an hour is a fair pay—that is Bs. per day. 146. Do you mean that to apply to a man when he begins police service? —No, because I would say a man beginning is not worth the same amount of pay as a man with two or three years' service. 147. When would you consider a man fit to receive Bs. per day ?—After one year's service. 148. Would you give beyond Bs. per day, or would you consider that Bs. was sufficient pay to a man for the work he does ?—Certainly not. He is a very poor man who, after five years, is not a better man to the department. The experience alone is worth some consideration. 149. What do you suggest it should rise to; what would you consider the maximum pay of a constable? —Nine shillings per day. Say, after five years' service he should have a rise of 6d., and after ten years another rise of 6d. That would give him 9s. a day. 150. And you think 9s. would be a fair remuneration to a constable after eleven years of service ? —Yes. 152. Well, in addition to that, would you suggest that a constable should get his clothing free, or an allowance ? —An allowance would be preferable to the men and cheaper to the department. 153. You think they should get that in addition to the scale of pay which you mention ?—Yes. 154. Do you also think married men should get house-allowance?— They undoubtedly should. It is only a struggle for existence as it is now. 155. Do you know of any other Force in the Australian Colonies who are paid as liberally as you mention?—l am only going on the lines of the New South Wales Force. 156. Does a constable rise to 9s. per day there? —There are different grades there, 157. Does a senior constable receive as much as 9s. per day ? —I dare say. lam not sure of that. The lowest grade of constable there is Bs. per day after one year's service. They call them probationary constables up to twelve months' service. 158. You are speaking of no encouragement for good conduct: as a matter of fact you did get encouragement for good conduct ?—Undoubtedly, I have always been treated fair. 159. Until a man does attain the rank of first-class constable he does get encouragement for any act of merit ?—Yes; but the chances are very remote. 160. But you do not wish it to go forth that there is no encouragement for good conduct in the Force as it exists ? —These opportunities do not often occur, and a man might be in the Force for ten years, with good conduct, and be a good man and it is nothing to him, simply because he is not lucky. 161. Inspector Pender.] Do the married men of the Force prefer retiring-allowances to pensions? —I believe they do ; the majority of them that we have spoken to prefer them. 162. Have you spoken to some of the married men ?—Yes. 163. And they agreed with you ?—Yes, they are of the same opinion. 164. Mr. Tunbridge.] The feeling among the men with reference to the long-service pay is this : that you, for instance, may be working side by side with a man who is receiving long-service pay, and doing the same duty?— Yes. 165. And gets Is. a day more than you?— Yes. 166. Although doing exactly the same work? —Yes. 167. That, you say, is a cause of discontent ? —Yes. 168. Mr. Taylor. , ] How many men do you represent on this deputation?—l really cannot say the number; the majority of us in the station. 169. How many have you ibeen in consultation with, for instance?—We have discussed it amongst ourselves—all hands in the barrack-room. 170. Do you know anything about the details of the Bank of New Zealand Provident Fund ?— Nothing but what I read in the papers, and what one of the officers told me. 171. You have not read what the Private Benefit Societies Commission reported on it ?—No. I read the evidence as published in the daily papers. 172. What are the weak points in that scheme ? The weak points, from what I can hear from the staff, is that they are paying in so much money to this fund, and it is going to support pensioners who are drawing at the rate of £500 a year from it. 173. You know the amount of their contribution ?—I do not know. 174. Do you know whether it is a percentage of salary, or so much per week per know nothing about the details. 175. There are some men drawing an unfair amount ?—Yes. 176. That is really all you know about the scheme?—l know it is not giving satisfaction to the men. The last vote gave a seven-eighth majority against continuing the fund. 177. Who supplies the detectives with the handcuffs?— They buy them. 178. Sooner than buy the obsolete ones in the service ?—I think so. 179. As a matter of fact, are there not some constables who buy handcuffs for themselves?— Yes. 180. Do you remember what you pay for your shako ? —lls. 6d,